When You Were Young
by aedy
Summary: A story following Jack and Ianto's story through The Killers' song.


This is my first Jack/Ianto story so I hope you'll like it. It's a song fic to "When You Were Young" by The Killers and it's not in chronological order but follows the lyrics of the song. It was beta-ed by the amazing **stillcentre**.

**

* * *

I**.

_You sit in your heartache_

_waiting on some beautiful boy_

_to save you from your old ways,_

_you play forgiveness watch it now,_

_here it comes_

The Hub is quiet for once; Suzie is somewhere working on her glove, Owen is out looking for a lay and Tosh has left just minutes ago.

After putting the Weevil down in the vaults, you change your clothes and head down to one of the computers.

Whilst typing his name into the search program, you try to tell yourself that you're checking '_Jones, Ianto Jones_' only because no one should know about the Weevils and not because he looked gorgeous while saving your life.

When his name comes up along with his Torchwood London File, you decide that no matter how much he intrigues you, you should really forget all about him because you hate Torchwood 1 and everyone that has ever worked for them.

When one week later you're lying on the floor of a warehouse with a sedated pterodactyl in the distance and with a very persistent Ianto Jones on top of you, everything changes.

He's different from anyone you've ever met, smart enough to have a rift activity locator and know how to use it.

While he's on top of you, you find yourself unable to look away from his eyes that are holding your own, boring into your soul.

When he gets up, you experience a sudden feeling of loss and it takes more than a second to collect yourself long enough to tell him that he's got the job he so desperately wanted.

You've met thousands of people trying to get out of Torchwood but never one so desperate to be a part of it after a chance to freedom.

You fear the reason why he wants in again.

**II**.

_He doesn't look a thing like Jesus, _

_but he talks like a gentleman _

_like you imagined when you were young_

Taking a sip from your beer, you look up just in time to see your boss walking into the pub.

You arc an eyebrow when your eyes lock with his and his surprised expression turns into a mischievous grin.

"Shouldn't you be asleep, Jones?" he asks sitting down on the stool next to yours. "I thought a first day at Torchwood would wear out anyone."

You shrug. "I wanted to celebrate and it's hard to think that you didn't know I was here."

Jack laughs and you try to convince yourself that the sound doesn't affect you at all and neither does the way in which his eyes twinkle looking at you.

"I swear I didn't follow you here. One stalker per team is enough, don't you think?"

You can't help but roll your eyes at him before diverting your attention back to the beer in front of you, briefly wondering if the Captain will get up and leave to do whatever he came there for, leaving you to sit all alone.

"You know, I was wondering; did you come to work dressed in a suit just to distract me all day long?" his voice is right in your ear and you glance sideways finding him suddenly closer than he should be. But you quickly decide that if he wants to flirt with you, then you're going to flirt right back.

"Why, do you find me in a suit distracting?" Jack laughs, his eyes never looking away from you. "And you really shouldn't try to seduce me with bad pickup lines."

The Captain leans forwards again and his pheromones hit you like a hurricane making you remember the warehouse and lying on top of him just a breath away from those perfect lips. "Are you seducible, Ianto Jones?"

When your eyes meet again, you notice for the first time how blue his are; a little darker than yours and sadder then they appear at first sight.

"Careful, that's harassment, Sir," you say in a mere whisper.

He doesn't look away or lean back but his lips curve into a little smile when he says, "You didn't answer my question so I'm going to keep trying to charm you out of your suits."

This time it's your turn to laugh. "I'm sure you have something better to do than trying to shag me. Besides, I thought you said you didn't know I was here, so please, don't let me interrupt your plans."

Jack grins and waves at the bartender ordering a beer. Then he looks at you again and says, "I came here to find someone that could hold my interest for longer than a few seconds and I did. So..." he trails off letting his arm brush against yours while grabbing his beer from the counter.

You find yourself thinking that you might just like having Captain Jack Harkness as your boss.

**III**.

_Can we climb this mountain  
I don't know  
Higher now than ever before  
I know we can make it if we take it slow  
Let's take it easy  
Easy now_

When you close the door behind you and turn around, your eyes can't help but follow his movements...

The way in which he neatly folds his jacket before dropping it on the back of the couch at the centre of the suite or the tension in his shoulders.

You can't look away because it's been so long, too long since you've last been alone with him.

"Why a suite and not two rooms, Sir?" he asks, pulling you out of your thoughts.

You wait before answering him, staring at him while he kicks off his shoes and loosens the knot of his tie before sliding it off.

You bet the others would be shocked to see him act this way and you can't help but smile knowing that you're the only person that has ever seen him acting so relaxed, that has ever seen Ianto Jones coming undone...

You're almost reminded of all those nights when, after shagging each other, he'd get up and – still naked – would walk around the Hub turning off all the lights for what was left of the night.

"I thought I told you to drop the Sir," you say taking a few steps forward, watching as Ianto walks over to the mini-fridge and retrieves a little bottle of Penderyn.

He sighs and pours the whisky in two glasses before silently handing you one.

You hold his gaze whilst taking the drink and letting your fingers brush against his.

"Jack," he emphasizes your name with that accent that he knows perfectly well will drive you mad. "Why are you under the impression that I'm going to shag you tonight?"

You shrug and sit on the edge of the bed. "I could sleep on the floor if you fear for your virtue."

He rolls his eyes and it's impossible for you to stop the smile tugging at your lips.

"You're too old for the floor, Sir," he says smiling before coming to sit down beside you.

You finish your drinks in silence, both wondering what the other is thinking until he puts his glass down and looks at you.

"Were you serious about that date?"

"I wouldn't have asked otherwise."

"Then you don't really think I'm going to sleep with you until you've actually taken me out?"

You put your glass down too and sit sideways so you can look into his eyes. "It could be a while before we have the chance to go out."

"Until when do we have to avoid one another?"

"Tomorrow night to be sure."

"Then you'd better book a table in the hotel restaurant for tomorrow evening," he tells you leaving no room for discussion.

You grin at him, arching an eyebrow. "So eager to start again?"

Ianto shakes his head. "Not again... from scratch," he adds after a pause.

You hold his gaze and know deep down that no matter what you told Gwen is the reason is why you came back, he's the reason why you are going to stay.

**IV**.

_We're burning down the highway skyline  
On the back of a hurricane that started turning  
When you were young _

It's strange, you think while walking up the hills of the cemetery leaving the little grave behind you.

It's strange what you're feeling because you were sure that you hadn't fallen in love with him and it's strange because it almost feels like it's worse having lost him, than having lost your grandson or Tosh and Owen; it's strange that you aren't jealous of what Gwen has anymore because right now, you're so very happy not to be mortal, not to be with her, because this means that you can run away and never look back.

It's childish and you're back at being the coward you were before Rose and The Doctor came along but right now, as you glance one last time behind you, you couldn't care less of courage and sacrifices.

Out of the corner of your eye, you keep glimpsing a memory that keeps replaying itself.

You're in Ianto's flat; Lisa has been gone – truly gone – for just a couple of days and he still looks haunted.

When he offers you coffee you accept but when he comes back in the living room, you push him up against the wall and the cups shatter falling on the floor.

This will be the first time he lets you go all the way, you can feel it in the hands gripping your back and for a little while you won't be thinking of Gwen and he won't be thinking of Lisa; it's going to be almost perfect... just for a little while.

**V**.

_And sometimes you close your eyes_

_and see the place where_

_you used to live when_

_you were young_

The pillow still smells like him and the sheets are still warm where he had been lying just a few minutes ago.

You can hear the shower running somewhere in the distance but you can't get yourself to move and go to him.

Your eyes are fixed on the ceiling but the only thing you can see is your brother lying frozen upstairs carefully distanced from Owen and Tosh; your old family next to the one you were starting to get used to having. You wonder how long is going to be before Gwen and Ianto end up there too.

When you close your eyes and try to chase a sleep that you will never get, you think of home and unsurprisingly, there isn't only one.

You think of home and see a white house on the Boeshane Peninsula, the Time Agency, the TARDIS, a flat in the London of 1930, Estelle's house, the hole in your office at Torchwood, Ianto's flat...

Maybe you had so many houses, lived so many lives, that you don't know what to dream of anymore when you close your eyes and think of home.

**VI**.

_They say the devil's water  
It ain't so sweet  
You don't have to drink right now  
But you can dip your feet  
Every once in a little while _

Jack pushes you up against the shelf and you can't help but let a little moan escape from your lips. This should be the first or the last time, but this has happened before and will happen again because you can't help but fall for his bad lines and child-like grin all over again and you ask yourself how long it is going to be before you finally give in all the way and will be unable to ask him to stop.

"Thought... you... had... changed... your... mind," he tells you, punctuating every word with a kiss along your neck.

His fingers follow that path and are soon opening your jacket, your waistcoat, tagging the shirt out of your trousers...

"Jack," it comes out like a plea and a curse and he chuckles before his mouth starts to suck your skin, marking you.

Your hands travel up and down his back feeling strong muscles tensing and relaxing under your fingertips.

Finally, his lips find yours again and whilst his hands tighten around your waist and yours in his hair, you start to feel something awakening within you and you find yourself thinking that no matter how great the sex with Lisa was, this is something new, something different, something untainted by images of metal covering soft skin.

You tell yourself that when you will be alone in your cold bed again, your fingers will remember strong muscles, warm skin and deep moans and your dreams won't change into those of cold iron and screams.

You think of Lisa and for a brief moment, you can almost make yourself believe that you're only doing this for her.


End file.
